Sure shot: Tetanus can be prevented by vaccination

The phrase “tetanus shot” makes plenty of people cringe. Yes, the shot can cause (temporary) pain and swelling around the site of the injection. There are more pleasant experiences, to be sure.

It’s helpful to know what can happen without that vaccination, though: severe muscle spasms in the stomach and jaw (hence the term lockjaw), seizures, high blood pressure and heart rate, a lengthy hospital stay or even death.

A needle prick doesn’t sound too bad compared to that.

Tetanus ( Clostridium tetani ) is a bacteria found in soil, dust and manure. It’s everywhere, worldwide, and that won’t change.

“It’s always been here and always will be,” said Lynn Procell, director of community health services for the Pueblo City-County Health Department.

The nasty thing about tetanus is that it releases a toxin, one which grows rapidly in places that don’t have much oxygen. Humans typically contract it through injuries that cause broken skin, particularly puncture wounds.

Tetanus cannot be passed from person to person.

“You can be exposed to tetanus anywhere,” Procell said. “It used to be a horrible problem and a lot of people died” — hundreds of deaths each year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the late 1940s, however, a vaccine was developed and cases of tetanus dropped by a whopping 99 percent. Today, only 40 to 60 cases are reported in the U.S. each year, said Procell — but once a person has tetanus, the dangers remain critical.

“It tightens muscles so tight it will break bones,” she said. “Even with modern care, 10 to 20 percent (of patients) will die.”

People who have tetanus may be given medications such as human tetanus immune globulin, antispasmodic drugs and antibiotics. A full recovery can take months.

Children receive five doses of the tetanus vaccine by age 6; it’s combined with the diphtheria and pertussis vaccinations (DTaP). Another booster is given around age 11. Adults should get a tetanus shot every 10 years.

“We also recommend that every pregnant woman get it,” said Procell. “And if there’s a risk of exposure to tetanus, you probably should get a booster shot if it’s been longer than five years (since the last one). With most folks who seek care for a bite, the doctor will tell them to get a booster shot.”

In developing countries, it remains a significant problem. The World Health Organization estimated that in 2010, nearly 60,000 newborns died of tetanus, contracted from unsanitary birth conditions.

Procell said the health department hasn’t seen any cases of tetanus in Pueblo County. To keep it that way, she urges people to roll up their sleeve and face the needle pinch.